Stone Pelters Are Making Life Difficult For Kashmiris Inside As Well As Outside The State

The recent increase in stone pelting in Jammu and Kashmir has once again affected the normal life the common people living there. But with the violence spreading to colleges and students resorting to stone-pelting it is not just the people in the valley that are being affected.

AFP

The repercussions are being felt in neighbouring states too. Kashmiri youths studying outside the state have complained that they are being called 'stone-pelters' and taunted over the recent viral video of a CRPF jawan being heckled in Budgam.

BCCL

According to a report in The Times of India, a group of Kashmiri students in Mewar University, Rajasthan were harassed by locals on Wednesday following a heated argument.

"We went out to buy some groceries. The youths outside held us responsible for heckling of the CRPF official. They started beating us for no reason at all. The entire episode has wasted our day, at a time when we're busy studying," said a Kashmiri student who wanted to remain anonymous told The Times of India.

Police said two Kashmiri students were returning to their hostel when the incident happened.

"The incident happened at 6 pm when Kashmiri students were returning to their hostel. They had a heated argument with two unidentified youths for unknown reasons. The arguments soon turned violent. The two youths ran away from the spot after the clash. We are locating them with the help of locals," said Dinesh Kumar, SHO, Gangrar police station.

Following the incident police have stepped up security around the campus to avoid any further escalation.

The university has around 1,100 students from Kashmir pursuing various courses under the Prime Minister's scholarship scheme for students of the Valley.

It is not just in Rajasthan, in UP too a fringe group has put up posters asking Kashmiris to leave the state.

The posters in Meerut which have the images of stone pelting in Kashmir was issued by a little-known outfit called Uttar Pradesh Navnirman Sena.

In neighbouring Madhya Pradesh, tribal youth from Jhabua have offered their "expertise" in using slingshots to help the paramilitary forces in countering stone-pelters in Jammu and Kashmir.

ANI

They said their traditional weapon, Gofan, can be effective against the stone pelters. The youths have appealed to the government to set up a Gofan battalion.

ANI

"A Gofan battalion of local tribal youth should be constituted and be posted in Kashmir Valley to deal with the stone-pelters. This battalion will be a suitable answer to stone-pelters," Prem Singh, a tribal youth from Jhabua told PTI.

The recent incidents of stone peltings were triggered by clashes between students and Police after security forces entered the Pulwama college on Saturday.

BCCL

Schools and colleges in the valley have remained shut since, in the fear of more violence.